Nothings Like Before
by Ontoria
Summary: PG13 as a precaution. It begins before the game time period, when Kairi first arrives on Destiny Island. Please Review. Chappie 3!^-^
1. Just a Game

AN: My first chapter of my KH fic. I hope you all like it...I'd really appreciate it if you reviewed, but, of course, just reading is good too. I'm not exactly sure where it'll go, I usually get my ideas as I'm writing, and it (most of the time) turns out good so...I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it, kupo.  
  
Disclaimer: I wish I owned Kingdom Hearts...but I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Disney, Squaresoft or any of the characters (unless I decide to put made up ones in, which isn't likely)...but if I did own it, I sure would be rich, no?  
  
  
Just a Game  
  
  
  
I'd never questioned life, as each day came and went I was content just to live like the child I was. And childish, indeed, was never a bad thing. My mother took me to the tree house to play with Riku all day sometimes. Destiny Island was a peaceful, wondrous place, even to a five-year-old. Everything my friends and I said was in our young, childish tone.  
"Did you go to Seaside Shack yesterday?" Riku asked at one of our playtimes.   
"No...mom wouldn't let me. She said I had to clean up my room before I went anywhere." I explained.  
"Did you clean?" He asked.  
"I did...but...by the time I was done...it was nighttime." I said laughing.  
I squeezed my toes and stood up, walking around. Riku stood also.  
"Sora, lets do something today." He said.   
"Last time you said that...we got caught in a bunch of moss..." I argued.  
He shrugged. "I have a better idea, though. Come on." He said, going outside and climbing down the ladder.   
"I don't know...what if we get in trouble? What if we are not back by the time our parents come to get us?" I said, worried.   
"Stop whining. Are you coming or not?" He asked, laughing and looking up at me from below. I had not yet decided to climb down the ladder, but did so now.  
"Of course I'm coming." I said boldly.   
I was about to reassure him of my bravery when a suddenly I was smacked upside the head. I felt a soft pain and my pride dropped, but I was not about to cry in front of Riku. He may call me a baby...We both turned around to see Wakka. He laughed and waved.  
"Hey Wakka." Riku said, emotionlessly.   
"Sorry Sora. You're it now, ya?" He said, taking his ball and running.   
I roared out a childish battle cry and ran after him.  
"Not for long Wakka! Just wait till I catch up to you." I threatened.   
Riku ran along, quickly catching up to Wakka and tackling him.   
I caught up while they were wrestling.  
"What took you so long Sora?" Riku asked, laughing.   
I scowled.   
Wakka and Riku sat in the sand, flinging it at each other playfully, but my eyes were elsewhere. The small land out in the water, connected to ours by a bridge, had caught my attention. Though Riku and I went there often, I saw Selphie and another girl sitting on OUR tree. Riku and I had claimed the Poapu Tree when we were very young, pretending to be explorers. Ever since we threw the fruit at the other kids pretending they were bombs.   
"We have to save the Poapu Tree!" I declared.   
Riku nodded and Wakka stood.   
"I'll come with you guys, ya?" He said.   
Riku nodded.  
"Sure. We have got to get those girls away from that area." He replied.  
This was the age in which girls had germs and such. We raced across the bridge, drawing our stick-swords s we ran.   
"Be prepared to fight!" Riku shouted.   
"Let's go!" I agreed.   
We reached the Poapu tree and stood pointing our weapons at the young girls.   
"Freeze and surrender yourselves or prepare for the merciless beating of your lives!" Riku and I chorused. We'd practiced this line many times.  
"Uh...what they said!" Wakka agreed.   
Selphie jumped up.   
"Hi guys! You want to fight us? Why don't we play mermaids instead?" She offered.  
We all sighed.  
"No way Selphie!" I said, annoyed.   
"How about pirates?" The other girl suggested, in a soft voice.   
"Wait wait wait!" Riku said, "Who are you, anyway?" He asked skeptically.   
She giggled.   
"Sorry, I'm Kairi. I just moved here." She explained.   
"Where'd you come from...?" I asked.   
She shrugged.   
"Somewhere far away."  
"I'm Riku, that's Sora, and he's Wakka." Riku introduced.   
We all agreed to play pirates and did so for the whole day until our parents came searching for us.   
  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey Sora..." Kairi said to me a few weeks later. I had been napping in the tee house and blinked up at her sleepily.   
"Kairi?" I asked, yawning.   
I looked around and walked past her to go out on the balcony. Bright stars littered the black sky. I could hear the sound of the great waterfall nearby, crashing into the tiny pond. It was a simply peaceful sound, but I knew Kairi wasn't used to it like I was. She was wrapped in a light blue blanket and had her pink pajama suit on. Her eyes looked fearful.   
"What's wrong Kairi?" I asked as she came out behind me.   
"I had a nightmare about my old home." She said, leaning against the wooden balcony fence and staring down at the tree's giant roots.   
"Don't be afraid Kairi. It was just a nightmare, okay?" I said, trying to comfort her.   
She laughed nervously.   
"I'm scared." She admitted.   
"Whenever you get scared..." I started, "All you have to do is think about all the good things." I said.   
"What if there are no good things?" She asked.   
"There's always good things, Kairi, Destiny Island is full of them. I don't know where you came from, but, you're safe here." I said, sounding much maturer then I felt.   
She smiled and hugged me.  
"Thanks Sora. You and Riku are my best friends." She said.   
I took the rest of the night to show here around, which I hadn't had the time to do before. I showed her all my and Riku's secret hide outs and play places. Everything was green and beautiful. The moonlight was reflected off of all the water. Finally, we sat out on the edge off the dock, letting our feet hang over.   
"Sora?" She asked after we'd sat in silence a long time.   
Yeah Kairi?" I asked, looking at her in question.   
She stared up into the sky a long moment, her young blue eyes misted.   
"Here." She said, reaching into her pajama pocket and pulling out a silver-chained necklace. The charm, rather large, was shaped like a castle and shone brightly in the moonlight. I fiddled with it with my small fingers and moved it from and to hand, examining the gift.  
"Wow...Kairi. Thanks..." I said.   
She giggled and smiled.  
"You're very welcome Sora." She said dramatically.   
"Where'd you get this, anyway?" I asked while fastening it around my neck.   
"Someone gave it to me, back at my old home. I don't really remember whom..." She said, staring at the ground.  
She looked at me now with a very serious and worried expression.  
"I don't know...how I know, Sora, but...please keep it. If you wear it...something amazing is bound to happen someday. I can feel it. Some things...just aren't ordinary." She whispered.   
I leaned back, amazed her mind, though younger then my own...could think such things. It put into my carefree life thoughts no child ever thought to think of. I was in to play fights and pretend adventures, where everyday was just fun and no one cared to think outside of our everyday simplicity.   
"Are you ordinary?" I asked her.  
She just looked at me for a long time.  
"No one's really the same, I guess." She said thoughtfully, standing.  
I watched her wrap the blanket, which was dotted with teddy bears, around her as a swift wind blew by.  
"It's late." She mentioned.  
I nodded, standing up and holding out my hand.  
"I'll walk you home." I offered.   
"Thanks Sora."   
We held hands and I walked her to her house where she'd stuck out from and told her she should not worry. Then I left and walked to my house where my mom greeted me.  
"Thought you were spending the night in the tree house." She said, sitting on the couch.   
"It was cold." I said.  
She nodded and picked my up, cuddling me as she returned to the couch. I curled up in her arms.  
"Mommy?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.  
"Yes?" She replied.  
"Is nobody the same?" I asked.  
She shook her head, tickling me. I giggled and squirmed.  
"No one's the same sweetie. No one looks just like Sora, or acts just like Sora. We're all very important, you see, but in different ways." She explained, grabbing me by my feet playfully and carrying me off to my room upside-down. I squealed and laughed as she dropped me into bed and kissed my forehead.  
"Now I want you to go to bed. I don't want to hear ANY video games or action figures or any of that. You need sleep so you can beat Riku at some game tomorrow." She said, winking.   
"Okay." I said sleepily, curling up on my pillow and allowing her to tuck me in.   
"You want me to keep the hall light on?" She asked.  
I yawned.  
"No way! That's for babies." I said.  
After my mom left I stared at the ceiling and whispered to myself...  
"I'll never beat Riku at anything..." 


	2. Corrupted Sea

AN: My second chapter. A HUGE thanks to those that reviewed my first. I feel special! I hope to get more reviews, but again, it would b great if you just read. I decided to make the childhood chapters last a bit before giving a twist to the plot, eh? Oh, and the corvette thing in the disclaimer is a joke with my sister's Kingdom Hearts fanfic.   
  
Disclaimer: And if I were rich and owned Kingdom Hearts, which I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Squaresoft, or any of the characters, I would buy my sister a corvette, and make a big bet on the Superbowl, not that I'm in to that.   
  
  
Corrupted Sea  
  
  
  
The sunrise on Destiny Island must be one of the most fantastic sights to see. All of us kids met between the two trees on the far most end of the Island. (It's the place you find the rope at the beginning) We all gathered and talked while watching the sun come up.  
"Today is going to be very unusual." Riku said.  
"Why is that?" Tidus asked, confused.   
"The waves are bigger then usual. I think something may come..." He explained.   
"Yeah," I said, "A storm." I shuddered.  
He shook his head, causing his silver hair to fall back in front of his ears.  
"Not this time, Sora." He said, taking a deep breath in  
"We should be care-" Wakka started just as a mighty wind blew in from behind, causing his beloved ball to be thrown into the water. Kairi lost her balance, but luckily, was caught by Riku and all our hair swished about wildly.   
Everyone looked at everyone else and I looked out to the water. Yes, the waves were growing. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to prove to Riku how brave I could be. I gulped and looked at them all.  
"I'll save your ball, Wakka." I announced, and quickly jumped down the ladder before anyone could imagine to disagree.  
"Sora no you'll get hurt!" Riku warned, chasing after me.   
I ran to my legs extent and out into the cold water.   
"It's okay Riku! I'll be fine!" I exclaimed as I was carried out by the waves.  
"SORA! Please come back!" I heard Kairi's soft, faint voice.   
I could swim fine and looked up and saw her standing with the others so far away now, as the waves as carried me off a ways. I couldn't see her expression but she sounded worried.   
"I'm fine Kairi!" I said and looked around to see if Wakka's ball was in sight.  
I caught a glimpse of it being tossed about by the waves further away. I took a deep breath and began swimming in its direction.   
"Just...a little...farther..." I whispered as I neared the area, but the waters just got rougher as I swam, and my arms begin to ache. I reached out and grabbed onto the ball and held it tightly. Just as I turned to swim back, I gasped. Land was so far away...I couldn't even see the others, but I could see Riku swimming towards me yelling something.  
"Riku I can't hear you!" I said in a panic, trying to swim to him with only my feet to move, as both my hands were wrapped around Wakka's ball. For some reason, it was much harder to swim back then it was to swim out.   
"Sora! It's behind you!" I heard Riku's voice at last, as he came into hearing distance.  
I turned around and my young body trembled. I saw a giant whirlpool raging, spinning, before me and I was drifting right towards it.   
"Riku! Riku help me!" I screamed, kicking and holding on to the ball for my life.   
I felt him grab onto my sleeve.   
"Sora." He said, out of breath.   
"What do we do?" I asked, crying.   
I thought we were going to die.   
"Whatever you do, don't get separated from me or we could be lost forever." He warned, taking out his stick sword and trying to use it as a paddle. It was useless, the waves were too strong.   
"Riku we're gonna die!" I cried.   
"No we won't." He said, in a confusingly confident voice.   
Just then, as if the whirlpool had heard his argument, it increased in size and, with a gigantic force, I was thrown down into the water.  
  
...  
  
* * *  
  
"Sora! Sora please wake up!"   
I felt nothing, and saw nothing. My life seemed to be nothing, and wanted to slip away like sand sifting and seeming to melt through your fingers.   
"Come on, please Sora! Wake up! Please don't be dead!"   
Another voice.   
My body began to ache all over suddenly, and I simply coughed up buckets of water onto the ground and forced my eyes open.  
"Sora you're okay!" Kairi shouted, hugging me tightly.  
I had a sudden urge to be home with my mom. Safe, at least.   
I shook my head.  
"R-Riku...is he?" I asked.  
Kairi moved and I saw Riku and the others all looking at me anxiously.  
"I got out with some scratches and bruises." Riku explained.  
I felt that familiar competitive feeling, like Riku was always one step ahead of me...and I had still not proven myself. In fact, I was sure now I only seemed stupid and Riku was a hero for saving me. This feeling caused me to frown.   
"Thanks for helping Riku..." I said in a disappointed tone.   
He helped me up.  
"If I were you..." He said, "I would think before just jumping in the water." He advised.  
I nodded, and I felt upset in my stomach and angry towards Riku. All I wanted was, for once, to feel brave...but I guess I was meant to be a pushover. I stared at the sand a moment and everyone was quiet, thankful, but quiet.  
"I'm gonna go home you guys." I said finally. "Oh, Wakka?" I added.  
Wakka looked at me and nodded. I threw his ball to him and turned to go.  
and trudged off to my house.   
"Mommy? If anyone comes over, will you say that I'm sick and can't play?" I asked when I stepped through the door.   
"Alright, are you okay?" She asked.  
"Yeah." I said, pouring a glass of orange juice and spilling a large portion of it on the counter.   
She hugged me from behind and told me I should get rest if I was sick. As soon as I walked in my room I heard the doorbell ringing and listened through my bedroom door.  
"Hi Kairi! Sora's not feeling well right now, I'm sorry..."  
"Will you tell him everyone says thanks, and give him this?" She asked my mom.  
"Of course I will. See you later, Kairi."   
I heard the door close and ran to get into bed before my mom came in.  
"Your friend Kairi asked me to give this to you, and tell you everyone says thanks." She repeated and handed me a folded up piece of paper.  
After she left, I unfolded it and a smile came over me. It was a picture, colored by Kairi, of me standing on the raging waves holding up Wakka's ball high in the air with a big smile, and in the background all my friends cheering, even Riku. The picture would be considered a 'five year old drawing' by most people, but, it was simply beautiful to my eyes. I taped it up on my wall.   
I examined my cuts and bruises and silently declared them nothing too big to worry about, but I was still a bit damp from the journey. I wondered why the waves had suddenly gone so chaotic in the first place...and touched the necklace Kairi had given me around my neck. I wanted to give her a present in return, but decided to think upon that later.  
"Kairi..." I said, sighing happily and looking out my window on tippy-toes to watch the sunset, which, to me, was even better then the sunrise. As it's golden rays dropped low in the sky and it projected many pink, and orange colors amongst the blue, and on the other side the moon was only beginning to awaken. 


	3. The Discovery

AN: Hey! I REALLY recommend reading Malice Soul by Buster Blader (my boyfriend) KairiCorvette by Jennio (my little sister). Again, thanks to everyone that's reviewing. You just don't know how much it encourages me! I hope you enjoy this and don't be afraid to offer suggestions. Really. Anyway, peace, kupo.   
  
Disclaimer: And if I did bet on the Super Bowl, I would for sure have won and gave the money to my friends and to Kingdom Hearts characters, which, by the way, I do not own. I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Disney, Squaresoft, or any of that stuff. I do own a nice, leather jacket.   
  
The Discovery  
  
I had a peaceful and normal night's sleep without wetting the bed, not that I ever did. I woke with sleepy eyes and a look of morning confused sickness. I sneezed and jumped off the bed. There was an odd silence about the house and it put me at in an uneasy state.  
"Mommy?" I asked.  
I felt a tight hand grab and squeeze my arm. I shrieked out.   
"Lemme go!" I demanded, punching and kicking wildly.   
"Come with me if you ever want to see your precious mother again!" A cold, sly voice said.   
I normally would have panicked but I recognized the voice as Riku's and sighed in relief. I pulled my arm away from him and faced him, while rubbing my arm.  
"What was that all about?" I asked, shaking my head and venturing into my closet to pick out mix matched clothing.   
Riku laughed heartily and sat on the unmade bed, kicking his feet as they dangled over the edge. He was dressed already his black T-shirt and khaki shorts. His silver hair combed nicely back, as always. Mom was always teasing about how Riku was always so fresh looking, polite, and energetic, and why couldn't I be more like him. Of course, I enjoyed the way I was.   
"I scared you, eh?" He asked, laughing still.   
I was shuffling through pairs of jeans, trying to decipher which were clean and which I'd worn the day before, when my hero, mom, came in.   
"Here hun, all your clean pants are in this drawer," She said, pointing to my dresser, "And all your dirty clothes SHOULD be in the laundry basket." She said sternly.  
I trotted over to the dresser and went through the drawers until I found my pants drawer. I put on a simple pair of blue jeans and a blue shirt and watched my mom and Riku talk about silly things like the weather.  
"Riku..." I whined, bored, "Let's go play something." I said.   
He nodded.  
"Yeah. We should." He agreed.   
My mom smiled and ruffled both our hair until I decided I should comb the tangles out all over again. Riku didn't seem to mind, anyway, and I grabbed my backpack, full of toys and snacks for the day and went to the tree house with Riku.  
"My mom like you better then me." I groaned.   
He sighed, practicing swinging his stick sword about.  
"I-don't-think-so-Sora." He said in between swift, fast swings.   
I was content to pout about it.   
"Riku, how come you never get in trouble and everyone likes you? How come you never cry and are so brave?" I asked.   
He put the sword away and sat by me, putting a hand on my shoulder. This made me feel even more childish, as it was often how dad treated me in our 'father-son talks'.   
"The way I see it," He said, looking up, "You are just as good as me, you just don't see it. You are too worried about trying to prove yourself, you don't see how good you are already. Kairi said you're a really fun person, and you help her when she has nightmares." He explained.  
"I'll never be as brave as you..." I muttered.  
He laughed.  
"But you already are."   
  
* * *  
  
Later that day silence arose once as a great bird soared overhead, shadowing the island a moment and causing my friends and I to stare up. The bird roared out a loud cry and flapped its mighty wings through the clouds, finally disappearing into them.   
"That must be...the great gull our parents tell stories about all the time." I said after a long moment.  
No one said anything in reply until Riku looked at Kairi and I.   
"I wish I could fly." He said softly.  
"Me too." Kairi agreed, nodding.   
They both looked at me expectantly.   
"What about you?" Riku asked me.   
"Yeah..." I said, dazed.  
It wasn't the first time the bird had flown over, it did so rarely, however. This was the first time Riku had mentioned flying though.   
"What do you guys want to do?" Kairi asked, breaking our thoughts.   
We all agreed that playing 'birds' would be fun and did so.   
  
As we played, I heard Kairi scream sharply and very sudden. Riku and I ran over to see what had happened. I realized the skin on her ankle had been punctured and tiny drops of blood fell to the sand. The young girl cried and I saw tears roll down her cheeks.   
She had fallen back and was on her side now. I took a closer look at the wound and Riku seemed petrified a moment.  
"What-happened?" He wondered.  
I pulled my shirt off and wrapped it around her ankle to slow the bleeding.   
"Watch her." I ordered, pushing myself up and running home as fast as I could.   
"Mom! Mom!" I cried, bursting through the door.  
There was no reply.  
"Mom?" I repeated.  
Nothing.  
I ran into the kitchen and pulled a chair from the table, pushing it to the counter, and standing on it to reach the medicine counter. I had to stand on my tippy toes to reach that far. I pulled out random medications until I found one I thought might help her. I remembered mom pouring it on my scratches and cuts all the time. I jumped off and didn't bother to push the chair back, or even close the door.  
I ran back to see them just as I'd left them, with Riku holding her ankle. I handed Riku the bottle and unwrapped her ankle. It had slowed bleeding now and I could see she'd been cut pretty deep.  
"Pour that on." I told Riku.  
As he applied the liquid to her ankle she cried out, wincing from the sting.   
"Don't worry, it's trying to kill the bacteria and stuff." I assured, and wrapped the shirt back on her ankle, tying it.  
"Can you walk?" Riku asked.   
She nodded.  
"I think so." She said, standing with trembling knees.   
I smiled and gave her a light hug.   
"Riku will help you get home. I'll stay here and look for whatever did that." I said.   
They both nodded and started off towards her home. I waved and waited until they were gone to start digging in the sand around the area. It took quit some time, but I spotted something shiny, almost completely buried in sand. As I drew closer, I concluded it to be a blade.   
"Wow..." I said, thinking, "A real sword?" I asked myself.  
Of course the blade did not belong to a sword, but a small pocketknife with something engraved in the base. I couldn't make it out, but I was certain it didn't belong to anyone here. We had no use for REAL weapons. Destiny Island was a peaceful place. No war occurred here, but something about just being in the presence of a REAL blade excited me and I yearned to take it and keep it as my own, as a secret. I knew my mom wouldn't let me play with a real blade, but...the fighting excitement could not be contained and I raised the small knife in my hand. There was a tiny, clear jewel, I noticed, in the center of the engraving.  
"Wow." I repeated.   
I stood up and swished the knife through the air, making drastic sound effects, and imagining it to be a real weapon of use. I decided I had to keep it. Besides, if I left it there, it could hurt more people. I pushed the blade down into it's holder an dropped it into my pocket happily.   
"Wait until I tell Riku! He'll be jealous! He'll be-" I stopped.   
I couldn't tell Riku...I couldn't tell anyone. If I did, there was always a chance they would tell my mom. I nodded to myself.  
"It's my secret." I told myself, and promised never to tell anyone about the knife.  
"Sora!" I heard Riku's voice.   
I waved as he walked up to me.   
"So is Kairi okay?" I asked.  
He grinned and nodded.  
"Yeah, she's resting at home. So did you find what cut her?" He asked anxiously.  
I stared at the ground. I wanted to tell him...he was my best friend...  
"Nah. It was probably a crab or something." I lied.   
He shook his head.   
"That was no crab. Oh well, lets go to your house and make Kairi a get better card." He suggested.   
"Race ya!" I challenged.   
"Okay but, you know I'm gonna win." He said, laughing.  
We took off running towards my house. Maybe he'd win this race, but, he had no idea how to handle Kairi when she was injured. I did. I knew what to do and I was the hero, for once. If not to anyone, then at least to Kairi. Little I knew I'd already been a hero in her vision, ever since her terrible nightmare.   
I felt the weight in my pocket against my leg as we ran and couldn't help but smile as I thought of the heroic and awesome things I could do, and all the great adventures I could think of. 


End file.
